Economy
Disappointing Earnings News Weigh on US Stocks
By Investors Hub
The major U.S. index futures are pointing to a modestly lower opening on Wednesday, with stocks likely to extend the pullback seen late in the previous session.
A negative reaction to earnings news from big-name companies like Boeing (BA) and Caterpillar (CAT) may contribute to initial weakness on Wall Street.
Boeing and Caterpillar both reported weaker than expected third quarter earnings, with Caterpillar also cutting its full-year outlook due to weak demand for construction and mining equipment.
Disappointing guidance from Texas Instruments (TXN) may also weigh on tech stocks, as the chipmaker cited the impact of ongoing uncertainty about trade.
Overall trading activity may be somewhat subdued, however, with a lack of major U.S. economic data keeping some traders on the sidelines.
Traders may look ahead to the release of reports on durable goods orders, new home sales, and weekly jobless claims on Thursday.
Further developments on the Brexit and U.S.-China trade deal fronts could also have a significant effect on the markets as the day progresses.
Meanwhile, Ford (F), Microsoft (MSFT), and Tesla (TSLA) are among the companies due to report their quarterly results after the close of trading.
Stocks turned in a lackluster performance throughout much of the trading day Tuesday but came under pressure in the latter part of the session. The major averages all pulled back into negative territory, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq showing a notable drop.
After ending the previous session at its best closing level in a month, the Nasdaq slid 58.69 points or 0.7 percent to 8,104.30. The S&P 500 also pulled back off a one-month closing high, falling 10.73 points or 0.4 percent to 2,995.99, while the Dow dipped 39.54 points or 0.2 percent to 26,788.10.
The late-day pullback may have reflected renewed uncertainty about Brexit after U.K. lawmakers voted to move forward with legislation related to Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union but then voted against a shortened time frame to review the bill.
Members of Parliament narrowly voted against the limited time frame, which would have provided just three days to evaluate the legislation.
The vote suggests lawmakers will not meet an October 31st deadline, setting the stage for another extension by the EU to avoid a no-deal Brexit.
The choppy trading seen earlier in the session came as traders digested the latest batch of earnings news, with mixed results from some big-name companies pulling the markets in opposite directions.
Shares of McDonald’s (MCD) came under pressure after the fast food giant reported third quarter results that missed analyst estimates on both the top and bottom lines.
Delivery giant UPS (UPS) also saw notable weakness after reporting third quarter earnings that beat expectations but on weaker than expected sales.
Meanwhile, shares of Procter & Gamble (PG) moved notably higher after the consumer products giant reported better than expected fiscal first quarter results.
Fellow Dow component United Technologies (UTX) also moved to the upside after reporting third quarter results that beat estimates and raising its full-year guidance.
On the U.S. economic front, the National Association of Realtors released a report showing existing home sales pulled back by much more than anticipated in the month of September.
NAR said existing home sales plunged by 2.2 percent to an annual rate of 5.38 million in September after jumping by 1.5 percent to an upwardly revised 5.50 million in August.
Economists had expected existing home sales to drop by 0.7 percent to a rate of 5.45 million from the 5.49 million originally reported for the previous month.
Despite the pullback by the broader markets, most of the major sectors ended the day showing only modest moves.
Software stocks showed a significant move to the downside, however, with the Dow Jones U.S. Software Index slumping by 1.8 percent.
The index continued to give back ground after ending last Tuesday’s trading at it best closing level in well over two months.
On the other hand, energy stocks moved notably higher, benefiting from a sharp increase by the price of crude oil.
Reflecting the strength in the energy sector, the Philadelphia Oil Service Index surged up by 2.4 percent and the NYSE Arca Oil Index and the NYSE Arca Natural Gas Index rose by 1.4 percent and 1.2 percent, respectively.
Economy
Petrol Supply up 55.4% as Daily Consumption Reaches 52.1 million Litres
By Adedapo Adesanya
The supply of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, increased by 55.4 per cent on a month-on-month basis to 71.5 million litres per day in November 2025 from 46 million litres per day in October.
This was contained in the November 2025 fact sheet of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) on Monday.
The data showed that the nation’s consumption also increased by 44.5 per cent or 37.4 million litres to 52.1 million litres per day in November 2025, against 28.9 million litres in October.
The significant increase in petrol supply last month was on account of the imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited into the Nigerian market from both the domestic and the international market.
Domestic refineries supplied in the period stood at 17.1 million litres per day, while the average daily consumption of PMS for the month was 52.9 million litres per day.
The NMDPRA noted that no production activities were recorded in all the state-owned refineries, which included Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, in the period, as the refineries remained shut down.
According to the report, the imports were aimed at building inventory and further guaranteeing supply during the peak demand period.
Other reasons for the increase, according to the NMDPRA, were due to “low supply recorded in September and October 2025, below the national demand threshold; the need for boosting national stock level to meet the peak demand period of end of year festivities, and twelve vessels programmed to discharge into October, which spilled into November.”
On gas, the average daily gas supply climbed to 4.684 billion standard cubic feet per day in November 2025, from the 3.94 bscf/d average processing level recorded in October.
The Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 also maintained a stable processing output of 3.5 bscf/d in November 2025, but utilisation improved slightly to 73.7 per cent compared with 71.68 per cent in October.
The increase, according to the report, was driven by higher plant utilisation across processing hubs and steady export volumes from the Nigeria LNG plant in Bonny.
“As of November 2025, Nigeria’s major gas processing facilities recorded improved output and utilisation levels, with the Nigeria LNG Trains 1-6 processing 3.50 billion standard cubic feet per day at a utilisation rate of 73.70 per cent.
“Gbaran Ubie Gas Plant processed 1.250 bscf per day, operating at 71.21 per cent utilisation, while the MPNU Bonny River Terminal recorded a throughput of 0.690 bscf per day during the period. Processing activities at the Escravos Gas Plant stood at 0.680 bscf per day, representing a 62 per cent utilisation rate, whereas the Soku Gas Plant emerged as the top performer, processing 0.600 bscf per day at 96.84 per cent utilisation,” it stated.
Economy
Secure Electronic Technology Suspends Share Reconstruction as Investors Pull Out
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The proposed share reconstruction of a local gaming firm, Secure Electronic Technology (SET), has been suspended.
The Lagos-based company decided to shelve the exercise after negotiations with potential investors crumbled like a house of cards.
Secure Electronic Technology was earlier in talks with some foreign investors interested in the organisation.
Plans were underway to restructure the shares of the company, which are listed on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
However, things did not go as planned as the potential investors pulled out, leaving the board to consider others ways to move the firm forward.
Confirming this development, the company secretary, Ms Irene Attoe, in a statement, said the board would explore other means to keep the company running to deliver value to shareholders.
“This is to notify the NGX and the investing public that a meeting of the board of SET held on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as scheduled, to consider the status of the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation as approved by the members at the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on April 16, 2025.
“After due deliberations, the board wishes to announce that the proposed share reconstruction will not take place as anticipated due to the inability of the parties to reach a convergence on the best and mutually viable terms.
“Thus, following an impasse in the negotiations, and the investors’ withdrawal from the transaction, the board has, in the interest of all members, decided to accept these outcomes and move ahead in the overall interest of the business.
“The board is committed to driving the strategic objectives of SEC and to seeking viable opportunities for sustainable growth of the company,” the disclosure stated.
Business Post reports that the share price of SET crashed by 3.85 per cent on Tuesday on Customs Street on Tuesday to 75 Kobo. Its 52-week high remains N1.33 and its one-year low is 45 Kobo. Today, investors transacted 39,331,958 units.
Economy
Clea to Streamline Cross-Border Payments for African Importers
By Adedapo Adesanya
Clea, a blockchain-powered platform that allows African importers to pay international suppliers in USD while settling locally, has officially launched.
During its pilot phase, Clea processed more than $4 million in cross-border transactions, demonstrating strong early demand from businesses navigating the complexities of global trade.
Clea addresses persistent challenges that African importers have long struggled with, including limited FX access, unpredictable exchange rates, high bank charges, fraudulent intermediaries, and payment delays that slow or halt shipments. The continent also faces a trade-finance gap estimated at over $120 billion annually, limiting importers’ ability to access the FX and financial infrastructure needed for timely international payments by offering fast, transparent, and direct USD settlements, completed without intermediaries or banking bottlenecks.
Founded by Mr Sheriff Adedokun, Mr Iyiola Osuagwu, and Mr Sidney Egwuatu, Clea was created from the team’s own experiences dealing with unreliable international payments. The platform currently serves Nigerian importers trading with suppliers in the United States, China, and the UAE, with plans to expand into additional trade corridors.
The platform will allow local payments in Naira with instant access to Dollars as well as instant, same-day, or next-day settlement options and transparent, traceable transactions that reduce fraud risk.
Speaking on the launch, Mr Adedokun said, “Importers face unnecessary stress when payments are delayed or rejected. Clea eliminates that uncertainty by offering reliable, secure, and traceable payments completed in the importer’s own name, strengthening supplier confidence from day one.”
Mr Osuagwu, co-founder & CTO, added, “Our goal is to make global trade feel as seamless as a local transfer. By connecting local currencies to global transactions through blockchain technology, we are removing long-standing barriers that have limited African importers for years.”
According to a statement shared with Business Post, Clea is already working with shipping operators who refer merchants to the platform and is also engaging trade associations and logistics networks in key import hubs. The company remains fully bootstrapped but is open to strategic investors aligned with its mission to build a trusted global payment network for African businesses.
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